Scope and Content

This archive collection contains personal, research and professional papers relating to various aspects of Jennings' work in dramatherapy and theatre. The collection contains: published articles and papers 1972-1993; miscellaneous articles and papers, with lecture and research project notes 1973-1993; committee reports 1985-1993; papers and reports of conferences attended by Jennings 1973-1984; conference papers given by Jennings 1978-1987; material relating to clinical work and research on child abuse and the prison environment 1985-1986; documentation for actual and proposed courses (College of Ripon and York St. John, Hertfordshire College of Art and Design, London Hospital Medical College, Roehampton Institute, Tel Hai Regional College (Israel), including introduction of dramatherapy to nurses, affective communication and therapy in fertility and child bearing, dramatherapy degree courses 1981-1994; literature and brochures relating to Dramatherapy Association 1974-1993; literature and brochures relating to the Institute of Dramatherapy 1984-1993; assorted Dramatherapy publications and periodicals 1972-1993; notes for courses/workshops taught and lectures given by Jennings 1984-1992; miscellaneous material including press-cuttings, personal correspondence 1962-1993; clinical work and press cuttings relating to fertility and 'Virgin birth' 1987-1992; papers on national workshop on 'Arts as therapy', New Delhi ('India Collection') 1992; miscellaneous press cuttings 1982-1993; photocopies of articles 1964-1993; collection of 18 videos, including of courses and workshops of Jennings, interviews with Jennings, and also of Open University and BBC programmes 1983-1993; copies of the periodical Theatre Record 1994-1997; copy playscripts for Faust (Goethe) and The Odyssey (Walcot).

Administrative / Biographical History

Dr. Sue Emmy Jennings (1938- ) (RDTh, RDT (USA), FRAI, LRAM, LGSM) is a leading world authority in Dramatherapy, and is one of the originators of this field of Applied Drama. She specialises in a supervisory multi-theoretical approach. Along with other colleagues from the Dramatherapy Centre, London, she founded the Association for Dramatherapists (now the British Association for Dramatherapists), of which she is Director.

She lectures in dramatherapy and playtherapy, as well as conducting research with children and adults, and in the prison environment. She established the Dramatherapy course which ran for many years at the University of Hertfordshire until the summer of 2003, and also teaches supervision courses in Israel and Greece. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the London Hospital Medical Centre, where she teaches medical students and conducts research with infertile couples. She is also Honorary Research Fellow at the Shakespearian Institute.

She is well-published, her books including: Dramatherapy and Practice, Letts Numeracy Project, Art Theatre and Dramatherapy: Masks of the Soul, Creative Therapy, Dramatherarapy: Theory and Practice, Dramatherapy with Children and Adolescents, Dramatherapy with Families, Groups and Individuals: Waiting in the Wings and Remedial Therapy: a Handbook for Teachers and Therapists.

She has toured many shows and workshops to schools, and also works internationally as a performer and therapist in theatre and play. She has appeared in Shakespeare, classical and contemporary roles in touring theatre-in-education companies. She is also a drama director.

Conditions Governing Access

Access to some material contained in EUL MS 237 box 3 may be restricted: please refer to the Archivist for further details. Otherwise, usual EUL arrangements apply.